Austro-Hungarian Red Book: Circular Telegram to the Imperial and Royal Missions, 25 July 1914

On 25 July 1914, a message was sent from the Ballhausplatz, the seat of the Austro-Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to all of the Austro-Hungarian embassies, legations and missions overseas. It is one of the few telegrams sent during the 1914 July Crisis that is not coded. The telegram announces the breaking off of diplomatic relations between Austria-Hungary and Serbia, forty-eight hours after Austria-Hungary issued its ultimatum. The Crisis was entering its decisive phase.

Circular telegram to the Imperial and Royal Missions. Vienna, 25 July 1914.

Telegram in claris.

[The Serbian Prime Minister Nikola] Pasic, at 18:00 today, brought our Ambassador to Serbia an unsatisfactory answer to our Note [i.e. the Austro-Hungarian ultimatum to Serbia]. On this, [the Austro-Hungarian Ambassador to Serbia] Baron [Wladimir] Giesl declared the diplomatic relations [between our two countries] to be broken off, and with the personnel of the legation left Belgrade.

The Servian Government is reported to have ordered mobilisation of the Servian Army as early as 15:00 this afternoon. The above is for Your Excellency’s information and for communication to the government to which you are accredited.